(i) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a monoski, namely, a single ski which is adapted to support both feet of a skier. More particularly, it is an improvement over the monoski disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,947,049 issued Mar. 30, 1976, to Alec Pederoen.
(ii) Description of the Prior Art
Monoskis have been disclosed in the past in, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,154,312 patented by Jacques Marchand on Oct. 27, 1964. The ski provided therein was one where it was essential to secure a pair of boot fasteners to the ski proper so that they would be directly over the ski and also would be alongside each other. It was also found to be essential that such bindings not extend beyond the sides of the ski, at least not substantially.
Another improvement in monoskis was provided in U.S. Pat. No. 3,758,127 patented by Michael D. Doyle and William L. Bahne, on Sept. 11, 1973. The single ski described in that patent was much wider and shorter than conventional skis. Both feet were held in close side-by-side position in any suitable type of bindings or boot retainers, the constant secure leg position making control more positive. In such patented monoski, the central body portion was very stiff, the tail was torsionally flexible and the nose or tip was even more flexible. Very little bottom camber was used and the ski did not have the pronounced hourglass shape used in most conventional skis to allow a tight radius turn. The patented ski has almost straight sides for high speed and stability, yet was said to be capable of sharp turns due to its novel design. The patented ski had a length-to-width ratio on the order of 9 or 10 to 1.
In another prior patent, namely, U.S. Pat. No. 3,685,846 patented by Hans Schmid on Aug. 22, 1972 improvements were provided in such monoskis of the kind in which a single conventional ski body member, formed with a gliding surface, was provided with two ski bindings fixed on the ski body member in side-by-side arrangement, each binding having a toe portion and a heel portion.
A novel construction of a monoski was provided in that patent which the components supporting the toe and heel portions of the ski binding were so formed that the ski body portion provided with the gliding surface allegedly did not have any rigid waist portion. A support was provided for the toe portion, and a support was provided for the heel portion. The two supports were fixed one behind the other in longitudinally spaced relation on the ski body. Furthermore, the ski-boot supporting surface on the toe and heel portions of the binding was raised a distance above the ski body member corresponding substantially to the width of the ski.
Another improvement in monoskis was provided in U.S. Pat. No. 3,802,714 patented by Stephen D. Freegard on Apr. 9, 1974. In that patent a deck structure was provided which could be added to one of a conventional pair of skis so that the single ski could be used as a monoski. Thus, the deck structure included a two-part pedestal, the parts of which were relatively reciprocable in one vertical plane of the pedestal, and adapted to be superposed on a ski and interengaged with the bindings thereof. The deck structure also included a two-part platform which was mounted on the pedestal to support the skier. The parts of the platform were also relatively reciprocable in the vertical plane of the pedestal, so that the binding on the parts of the platform, adjacent the upper surface thereof could be interengaged with the boots of the skier. When the parts of the pedestal were interengaged with the bindings of the ski, the parts of both the pedestal and the platform were fixed in relation to one another.
While monoskis as above described were useful in powder snow, they were most difficult to control and to use in hard-packed or corn snow.
In an effort to provide a new and improved single ski on which both feet were held in close side-by-side relation, and a new and improved single snow ski which was easily controlled and safer to use than conventional dual skis, not only in powder snow, but in hard packed or corn snow, the monoski of U.S. pat. No. 3,947,049, issued Mar. 30, 1976, to Alec Pedersen was developed. According to that patent, a single snow ski was provided comprising: an elongated body having a central waist portion, having a maximum width of 61/4", an upwardly curved forward tip region, having a maximum width of 61/2", and an upwardly tapered and outwardly flared tail portion, having a maximum width of 71/3", the ski having its greatest thickness at the central waist portion, and being reduced in thickness both towards the tail portion and the forward tip region, the minimum thickness being adjacent the forward tip region, and wherein the forward tip region defined by side edges flaring outwardly from the central waist portion towards the forward end of the ski, and then converging to join together at the tip, such forward tip region being wider than the central waist portion, and wherein the tail portion is wider than the forward tip region; wherein the ratio of the width of the tip to the width of the waist is 1.04-1.23 and wherein the ratio of the width of the tip to the width of the tail is 0.77-0.93 and ski bindings mounted on the ski adjacent the central waist portion for holding the feet of a skier in close side-by-side relation, with such ski bindings extending slightly over the side edges of the ski.
While the monoski described above was superior to monoskis proposed in the past, it was found desirable to effect further improvements.